Marbled shrubbery

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Marbled shrubbery
Marbled shrubbery (Elaphria venustula)

Marbled shrubbery ( Elaphria venustula )

Systematics
Class : Insects (Insecta)
Order : Butterflies (Lepidoptera)
Family : Owl butterfly (Noctuidae)
Subfamily : Xyleninae
Genre : Elaphria
Type : Marbled shrubbery
Scientific name
Elaphria venustula
( Huebner , 1790)

The marbled shrubbery ( Elaphria venustula ), also called gorse heather moth , is a butterfly ( moth ) from the family of the owl butterflies (Noctuidae).

features

butterfly

The wingspan of the rather small moth is 18 to 22 millimeters. The forewings are patterned whitish and brownish. The hem area and the front edge are dark brown. A large, triangular, dark brown spot extends from the rear edge to the middle of the wing. There is a narrow, pale, pink band over it, which gives the butterflies an attractive colorful drawing. The scientific name of the species is derived from this characteristic from the Latin venustus  = "graceful". Blemishes and lines are usually indistinct. The hind wings are gray-brown without drawing.

Caterpillar, pupa

Adult caterpillars are purple-brown in color. Diamond-shaped spots can be seen on the back . A whitish, red seeded spot on the fourth segment is typical of the species.

The slender doll is colored red-brown and shows a sharp point on the cremaster .

Similar species

There is a distant similarity to the also very small triangular grass moth owl ( Pseudeustrotia candidula ), which, however, differs by the large triangular spot on the front edge of the forewings.

Geographical distribution and habitat

The marbled shrubbery is widespread in Europe, but is absent in the north. To the east, the distribution area extends through Asia to the Pacific . The animals can be found in a wide variety of habitats, including open forests, bushy heaths, abandoned vineyards and wet meadows.

Way of life

The moths usually fly in two generations from May to September. In the north, only one generation is formed, which flies in June and July. They are occasionally active during the day. At night they visit bait and artificial light sources . As a food of the caterpillars are primarily the blooms of cinquefoil - ( Potentilla ), Heather - ( Erica ), broom (- Genista ), Rubus and species, heather ( Calluna vulgaris ). Older literature that they sometimes also of scale insects feed (Coccoidea), could not be confirmed at farms and are certain incorrect. The species overwinters as a pupa.

Danger

The marbled shrubbery is represented in the German federal states in different frequencies and is listed on the Red List as not endangered.

swell

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Michael Fibiger, Hermann Hacker: Amphipyrinae, Condicinae, Eriopinae, Xyleninae (part) . In: Michael Fibiger, László Ronkay, Barry Goater, Martin Honey (eds.): Noctuidae Europaeae . tape 9 . Entomological Press, Sorø 2007, ISBN 978-87-89430-11-9 (English).
  2. ^ Arnold Spuler: The butterflies of Europe , Volume 1, E. Schweizerbart'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, Stuttgart (E. Nägele), 1919
  3. ^ A b Walter Forster , Theodor A. Wohlfahrt : The butterflies of Central Europe. Volume 4: Owls. (Noctuidae). Franckh'sche Verlagshandlung, Stuttgart 1971, ISBN 3-440-03752-5 .
  4. ^ Günter Ebert (Ed.): The butterflies of Baden-Württemberg . 1st edition. tape 6 . Moth IV. Noctuidae 2nd part. Ulmer, Stuttgart (Hohenheim) 1997, ISBN 3-8001-3482-9 .
  5. ↑ Herbert Beck: The ex ovo breeding of Agrotis venustula Hbn. (Lep. Noctuidae) in the light of the divergence between original literature references and notes in manuals, along with additions to biology and distribution. Entomological Journal, Frankfurt am Main, 90/8, 1980
  6. ↑ Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (Ed.): Red List of Endangered Animals in Germany . Landwirtschaftsverlag, Münster 1998, ISBN 3-89624-110-9 .

literature

  • Michael Fibiger, Hermann Hacker: Amphipyrinae, Condicinae, Eriopinae, Xyleninae (part) . In: Michael Fibiger, László Ronkay, Barry Goater, Martin Honey (eds.): Noctuidae Europaeae . tape 9 . Entomological Press, Sorø 2007, ISBN 978-87-89430-11-9 (English).
  • Günter Ebert (Ed.): The butterflies of Baden-Württemberg . 1st edition. tape 6 . Moth IV. Noctuidae 2nd part. Ulmer, Stuttgart (Hohenheim) 1997, ISBN 3-8001-3482-9 .
  • Manfred Koch : We determine butterflies. Volume 3: Owls. 2nd, expanded edition. Neumann, Leipzig / Radebeul 1972, DNB 760072930 .

Web links

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